Palladium Books® Weekly Update – March 10, 2016

By Kevin Siembieda

We are working our collective keisters off on several fronts and making some good progress. The upcoming books are going to be awesome. When I wasn’t writing or coordinating work for a number of upcoming products, Wayne and I were working on convention prep, advertising, approvals, communications with artists and licensors, and exploring a variety of business areas. In short, very busy but feeling like we are getting a heck of a lot done. Read on.

Savage Rifts® for Savage Worlds® rules

The more we see, the more we like. The release of the Savage Rifts® game line from Pinnacle Entertainment is promising to be pretty awesome. Sorry, I can’t say too much except we are getting excited about it as it all comes together. We’ve been reviewing and approving artwork, covers, text and so on. I even wrote a forward a week or so ago.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #74 – Spring issue

Wayne is looking to make his final selections for the material going into The Rifter® #74 over the next couple of weeks, so if you were planning on submitting material, send it on in. And we are always looking for new contributors. I need to assign out the artwork for various articles yet. At least half of this issue’s content is “official” source material.

UPDATE: Coalition States: Heroes of Humanity Sourcebook

I made excellent progress over the last week on finishing the manuscript. Parts of it are done and going through the editing phase, and Chuck is pounding away at the artwork. Heroes of Humanity™ Sourcebook and The Disavowed are going to be amazing. Think Coalition War Campaign, Part 2. As you may have surmised, we are expanding from the original concept. I’m trying to decide if I should stop and release what we have, make it a bigger book, or divide it into two medium-sized titles as I work away at it. It’s all fun stuff you are going to love. Chuck Walton’s designs ... wow, and I think this is some of my best writing.

In Heroes of Humanity™, the Minion War is raging and the CS has to mobilize troops fast. Basic training is just that, “basic.” To counter that, the CS has turned to creating a lot more augmented troops, Juicers and Combat Cyborgs in particular. The new weapons, gear and ideas are going to make gamers very happy. All that and psychics too.

UPDATE: Rifts® The Disavowed

Been focused on everything else, but still making notes on The Disavowed and Haunted Tech™ as the ideas come. These books are each stand-alone products related by theme, time-line and interlocking events.

UPDATE: Secrets of the Atlanteans

I expect to assign the cover and some of the artwork next week.

UPDATE: Rifts® Sovietski

I’m assigning out the cover for this book soon, too.

Rifts® World Book PDFs on DriveThruRPG.com

Rifts® World Book 19: Australia and Rifts® World Book 20: Canada are available as PDFs right now on DriveThruRPG.com. Rifts® World Book 21: Splynn Dimensional Market will go live tonight at midnight.

They join last week’s PDF postings of Rifts® World Book 18: Mystic Russia, Rifts® World Book 17: Warlords of Russia and Rifts® World Book 16: Federation of Magic, and a slew of other titles that have gone up over the last several weeks. There are also previews of The Rifter® #73, Northern Gun 1 & 2, Lemuria, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms, Bizantium and many other Palladium titles. Things remain in place to see 2-3 new PDFs of Rifts® World Books and other titles added every week.

In addition to the titles listed above, The Minion War™ series of books, the Rifts® Coalition Wars®/Tolkeen series, Chaos Earth® Resurrection, all of the Dead Reign® (Zombie Apocalypse) titles, Splicers® RPG and most issues of The Rifter® are available NOW! So are first edition rules of the Heroes Unlimited™ RPG and sourcebooks, Palladium Fantasy RPG® and sourcebooks, The Mechanoids®, and much more, available on DriveThruRPG.com.

Available right now:

Palladium Collectibles Available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles Store

More collectibles and artwork are going to be added over the next week. Last weekend we added the super-rare “Defilers” Fantasy print (11x17 inches, black and white). Fewer than 50 were ever even printed. Originally only people who played in my three and a half year long campaign got one. It is one of my favorite illustrations of all time and I have put one up for sale in my store.

We’re adding a number of other Palladium collectibles, hardcovers, out of print titles, original artwork, and toys and items from my personal collection to my ebay store. We add items on a regular basis and offer sales, so check it out from time to time. Includes one-of-a-kind original artwork, prints, Rifts® and Robotech® artwork by Kevin Long, me and others. There is also a range of limited editions, rare book titles and limited edition hardcovers, toys and more available with frequent new items added. Items include original art, out of print titles, redlined proofreader photocopies signed by me and the staff, signed manuscripts with editors’ corrections, some original art, hardcover books (including Rifts® Lemuria, Northern Gun™ One, Northern Gun™ Two, Megaverse® in Flames™, Beyond the Supernatural™ Gold, Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ Gold and Rifts® Ultimate Gold), hundreds of toys and action figures, all from my personal archives and collection. Take a look every weekend or two for new items added.

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

UPDATE: Convention Madness

I have been getting a number of convention guest invitations the last few weeks. Nice. Unfortunately, I do not do many conventions – or products would never come out – but I consider all serious offers. We have added GrandCon in Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 16, 17 & 18, 2016. I’m also seriously considering attending a convention down south in March, 2017. Both sound like fun.

AdeptiCon – March 31-April 3, 2016

AdeptiCon is only 3 weeks away! We’ll be there with Robotech® RPG Tactics™ items as well as Rifts® and other products to sell, and a few new things to show fans. (Yes, we’ll post ‘em online too.) Not sure if we’ll have the news we were hoping to share, but we’ll be happy to chat and share what we have.

http://www.adepticon.org

Anime North – Toronto, Canada – May 26-29, 2016

It looks like author, Greg Diaczyk and a few other people may be joining Palladium Books in the gaming hall where we’ll be selling select gaming product and displaying artwork, Robotech® RPG Tactics™ items, and maybe running a few RRT demos and even a role-playing game or two. Join me, Greg Diaczyk, Wayne Smith, Charles Walton II and a few other Palladium madmen for some fun and games in Toronto.

http://www.animenorth.com

Gen Con Indy – Indianapolis, Indiana – August 4-7, 2016

What is there to say about Gen Con? It’s big. Awesome. Fun. And Palladium Books will be there, so please swing by to get new and old RPG titles, Robotech® RPG Tactics™, original art, collectibles, chat with Palladium creators, get books signed and have a blast.

Palladium Creators at the 2016 Gen Con:

And maybe a couple others to be added.

http://www.gencon.com

GrandCon – Grand Rapids, Michigan – September 16, 17 & 18, 2016

I don’t know why I generally think of Grand Rapids as far away, because it’s only about 2 hours and 15 minutes from the Palladium offices here in Westland. Sean Patrick Fannon, the co-author of Savage Rifts® for the Savage Worlds game system, is also a guest. He and I will be doing panels about Savage Rifts® and role-playing game design, world building and running gaming events (I’ll probably run Lord DeSilca), and Palladium Books will have a few tables in the dealers’ room. Plus Wayne Smith and Charles Walton II (with artwork for sale) will also be present to chat with gamers and sign books. GrandCon is a rapidly growing gaming event right here in Michigan, drawing 1,500+ gamers, so we are pleased and excited to be part of it. They have big plans for 2017 that should make the event even bigger and more fun. Michiganders, support this convention. We need and deserve a large gaming convention in our state.

http://www.grand-con.com

Frenzied activity has been exciting ...

This week has been extremely manic and busy, but fun and exciting. And when I have been writing, I have been on fire and spinning out some great stuff. I have a business meeting tonight and then I’m back at it. I hope to finalize Rifts® Heroes of Humanity and dive right into The Disavowed very soon. Keep those imaginations burning bright and game on!

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer, Game Designer

NEW! The Rifter® #74 – Ships Spring

Half to two-thirds of The Rifter® #74 is “official” source material for Rifts®, Splicers® and more, plus news and coming attractions.

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready-to-go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least 2-3 other Palladium game lines. And don’t forget, most of the material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

The Rifter® #74 – Spring, 2016:

The Rifter #73

NEW! The Rifter® #73 – Available now!

For the first time ever, the entire issue of The Rifter® #73 is “official” source material for Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Splicers® and Dead Reign®, plus news, coming attractions and more. It is a great way to kickoff Palladium’s 35 Year Anniversary.

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready-to-go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least 2-3 other Palladium game lines. And don’t forget, most of the material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

Rifter® #73 Highlights:

Coalition States Heroes of Humanity

NEW! Rifts® The Coalition States: Heroes of Humanity – March

In final production. The events unfolding in World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames threaten to change the entire landscape of Rifts® Earth, as the demonic minions of Hades and Dyval seek to bring Hell on Earth and turn the planet into a dimensional gateway to Armageddon!

The Coalition States, along with Northern Gun and Lazlo, take the lead in the defense of North America. Heroes of Humanity explores the good and bad in the Coalition’s efforts to save humanity and send this new threat back to the pits of Hell.

Rifts The Disavowed

Rifts® Secrets of the Coalition States: The Disavowed™ – Spring

“Desperate times require desperate measures. War has nothing to do with morality or justice. It’s all about winning or dying. We cannot bind our hands with high ideals, even our own, or worry about the laws of renegade nations or the rights of alien people. We must fight fire with fire. And you are the match.” – Colonel Lyboc addressing a Disavowed team

The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mission is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever be the Disavowed.

NEW! Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans – Spring

True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.

For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.

Rifts® Haunted Tech – Spring or Summer

Faced with the imminent threat of the Minion War and ensuing demon plagues across Rifts® North America, heroes and nations rise! Archie Three is taking none of it lying down. The insane machine-god is obsessed with sending the demons back to hell and saving “his” world.

The Rifter #73

BACK IN PRINT: Island at the Edge of the World

A Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook – available now

Island at the Edge of the World™ is back in print as a short run, special printing. This is the original Palladium RPG® sourcebook VI that utilizes First Edition rules. That said, it is very easy to adapt for use with Second Edition rules.

Island at the Edge of the World™ reveals some of the little known history of the Palladium World, the Time of a Thousand Magicks, the Changeling Inquisition, and dark secrets that could threaten the world. Learn about forgotten Crystal Magic (as powerful as Rune Weapons), the Church of Scar, the legendary Circle of Absolute Elemental Power and frightening prophecies about the end of the world.

Garden of the Gods – a Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook – Spring

This has been a secret project of Kevin Siembieda’s that he has been plotting and writing in what little spare time he has. The Garden of the Gods is said to be a holy place watched over and even frequented by the avatars of the gods. According to legend, the god may visit heroes and followers in dreams or in person by an avatar of the god, to be given guidance, inspiration, heroic quests, and gifts of knowledge and magic. More details about this title will follow.

Hell Followed – A Dead Reign® Zombie Apocalypse Sourcebook

At 160 pages, Hell Followed™ is the largest Dead Reign® sourcebook yet. Spring or Summer release. Can you survive the Zombie Apocalypse? Find out by playing Dead Reign®. The results may surprise you.

Rifts® Chaos Earth® Sourcebook: First Responders – Summer

The Great Cataclysm has devastated civilization, but humanity fights for survival. The struggles of civilian law enforcement, fire and rescue, and everyday men and women are some of the most epic tales to be told in a world gone to hell. They fight monsters, aliens, the paranormal, the elements, and each other, all with the hope of reclaiming their lives from the Chaos.

Robotech RPG Tactics

Robotech® RPG Tactics Wave Two is coming ...

– but you can get started with the core box set and Wave One expansions right now

If you love Robotech®, you want to take a look at this game. Beautifully detailed game pieces of your favorite Robotech® mecha, and fast playing rules that capture the Robotech® experience in a new, exciting way. And this is just the beginning. We have so much more planned for the years ahead.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ "Starter Box" (Main Box Game) – Cat. No. 55100 – $99.95 retail price. This is the game Robotech® fans have wanted for decades. Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces. Get yours now, so you can build your armies and have them ready when Wave Two is released.

The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Expansion Packs are available to retail along with the main box game. Here are the SKUs and retail prices:

DriveThruRPG

Palladium PDF Books – download from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made more than 100 PDF products available for digital download from DriveThruRPG.com, as well as Fantasy Paper Miniatures, Game Master resources and other good things with more to come. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

Schedule of 2016 Releases for the First 6 months

Also coming:

Upcoming Palladium Books® Convention Events

Palladium Books does not have to be an exhibitor at a convention or be counted among the guests to support that convention. We are happy to support events running Palladium games with prizes for best players, other swag, and donations to charity auctions. If you are a Game Master running Palladium gaming events, or a convention hosting them, PLEASE contact Palladium Books via the Help Desk or the Megaversal Ambassadors, or call the Palladium offices to get our support. Just give us plenty of advance notice so we can confirm the conventions and the Palladium gaming events, determine the swag and ship it out. Plus we are glad to promote conventions and gaming events right here in the Weekly Updates. Below are just some of the conventions hosting Palladium game events this year.

Kevin Siembieda and Charles Walton II are guests at the 2016 Anime North. A few other Canadian Palladium creators may also be in attendance at the Palladium booth in the gaming hall. Anime North is one of the largest and longest running anime conventions in North America, with 26,000+ in attendance in 2016. The range of special guests, voice talent and cosplay is amazing. If you are attending Anime North, please drop by the booth to say hello or sit in on any of Kevin’s panel talks about game design, licensing and Hollywood, writing, world building and others. We love this event and highly recommend it. Tickets sell out fast, so order yours and book a hotel room immediately.

© Copyright 2016 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Powers Unlimited®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.